Trekkies enjoy surprise Star Trek premiere

Fans of Star Trek in Texas got an unexpected treat on Monday when they became the first to see the much-anticipated new film.

Instead of a premiere on Tuesday in Australia, Trekkers attending a event in Austin Texas, organised by Ain't It Cool News, were the first to see J.J. Abrams reboot of the franchise.

Star Trek filmmakers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof told the crowd of around 200 attending the Fantastic Fest Star Trek event that they would get a sneak preview of the new film, after a screening of a new print of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But this screening was interrupted just two minutes after it began by Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in the original series and cameos in the new prequel.

He announced that fans would get a full screening of J.J. Abrams' new film, instead of just the promised 10 minute extract, after reportedly remarking: "Wouldn’t you rather see the new movie?"

The film was well received by fans attending the event, who gave it a standing ovation at its conclusion. Some have begun posting reviews - many containing spoilers - on Ain't It Cool News here.

The new Star Trek film goes on general release from 9 May. The movie tells the story of how younger versions of the characters featured in the original series first met up on the Enterprise, set against the backdrop of time-travel and a battle against the Romulans. ®